Sticking your neck out
by Cherrypie23uk
Summary: Chakotay stick's his neck out and end's up with an interesting pet name.


This little ditty is all my own, with thanks to Jo for the fantastic Beta. I gain no money from this and the characters all belong to CBS, Viacom, Paramount or whoever else has a share these days. ENJOY!

I don't mine constructive criticism but don't flame and the more love I get the more J/C fic we might find in this world.

Sticking your neck out.

When they weren't fighting Hirogen, The Borg or Species 8472, on occasion it was fair to say the crew of the USS Voyager got 'bored'. It wasn't nice aboard ship when everyone was bored, sometimes it led to high jinx. However on occasion, it gave members of the crew time to work on, 'special projects'.

With a steady stream of stars streaking passed her windows, Kathryn Janeway sat with her back to the view looking over her desk at the pile of data Padd's indicating the remaining work she had to do before she could leave for the day. It was times like these that she welcomed an interruption to the tedium of running a Starship; especially one trapped seventy years from home. Seconds away from ordering a second afternoon cup of coffee, the door to her ready room chimed. 'Come in' Kathryn responded.

As her First officer strode into the ready room Kathryn's face broke into a smile. 'Chakotay, tell me you have something more interesting than these reports for me to do." she asked, indicating to the outstanding work on her desk.

'Ah the dreaded weekly departmental reports', laughed Chakotay, picking up several of the Padd's. Ok how about. If you agree to join me in Holodeck two for dinner, I will take half of these reports, and then we can both have time to be finished at a reasonable hour, deal? I have a new Holodeck program that I have been working on, and I thought you could test it out with me tonight?' Chakotay flashed his dimpled grin, the one he knew she couldn't resist and was rewarded by one of her megawatt smiles.

'Oh, I'm intrigued Chakotay.' Kathryn stated, leaning on her desk, her smile growing wider as she considered a quiet evening for them alone on the Holodeck. 'Should I bring anything?'

'Just yourself', replied Chakotay, taking slightly more than half the Padd's from her desk if she wasn't mistaken. Leaving the room Chakotay called back 'eight pm'. Before Kathryn could come up with any in depth questions or reasons to abandon their upcoming evening.

It took only 5 seconds staring at her Ready Room doors for the Captain to realize that her commander had not invited her as Captain, but as Kathryn. As suddenly as she realized this little fact the butterfly's started in her lower belly and she knew she would never finish these reports this evening.

Chakotay pulled at an imaginary piece of lint from his open neck shirt, his bowl of tomato soup sitting cold and untouched in front of him. It wasn't like Chakotay to waste his replicator rations and this hadn't gone unnoticed by the rest of the crew in the mess hall. B'Elanna finally took pity on her old friend and decided to find out what was bothering him.

Rejoining the room with a start as B'Elanna put her own cheese sandwich down in front of him. 'I don't know about you old man, but I really hate people who waste good replicator rations.' she barked.

'Huh!' started Chakotay.

'Don't 'Huh! Me Chakotay; you have sat there for the past hour staring into that bowl of soup. What is going on?'

'Oh B'Elanna, I think I have made a huge mistake.' said Chakotay whispering. His eyes relayed something she never thought she would ever see 'Fear'.

'Hey Chakotay, It can't be that bad. Tell me, let me help you old friend' she whispered, matching his tone.

'I swear, B'Elanna, If I tell you, then you had better not laugh.' Chakotay lowered his eyes, and in a barely audible whisper stated 'I asked the Captain out on a date!'

'You WHAT!' B'Elanna couldn't help herself, she laughed.

'What did I say, B'Elanna.' The furious look in Chakotay's eyes sobering B'Elanna as fast as her giggle had escaped.

'Oh Chakotay, I'm laughing at the absurdity of this.' she finally stated. 'I don't think anyone except for me and Tom is more suited for one another. If the Captain isn't smart enough to see that you both belong together, well I might just need to knock some sense into her.' B'Elanna smiled at Chakotay as he registered her words.

'You don't think this is a bad idea?' he asked

'Of course not!' Suddenly realizing that she needed to convince Chakotay of the crew's support, she turned from him to request the presence of her husband.

'Oh the spirits, B'Elanna there is no need to include the whole crew on this' hissed Chakotay.

'Shut up Chakotay! You need to hear this.' said B'Elanna, as Tom sat down.

'What's up B'Elanna?' asked Tom, looking towards Chakotay.'

'How much is the betting pool up to now?' B'Elanna asked quite openly.

'EH! What!' Tom almost choked. 'What betting pool are you talking about B'Elanna?' said Tom in a pleading voice. He was about to lose his ninth life, judging by the irate look on Chakotay's face'

'Betting Pool! Tom! B'Elanna! Please tell me you are kidding me.' said Chakotay his head falling into his hands in defeat.

Sensing safety as B'Elanna draped her hand over Chakotay's back. Tom decided it was an all in bet. 'I am afraid old man., that there is no one on this ship, not even Naomi, who is not in on this. I suggest you both get on with the inevitable and stop making one another miserable.'

'Chakotay groaned and lifted his head asking the computer for the time. The response brought him to his feet, 'I guess it's time.'

I'd appreciate it if you didn't tell the entire crew about this and definitely do not tell Nelix. I do not need a celebratory Leola Root Stew.'

Chakotay turned to leave and did not turn back, but he could be sure he heard a high five behind him.

Sitting in front of her mirror Kathryn Janeway adjusted her hair for the seventh time. She couldn't get it to sit just right, neither the right amount up nor the right amount down. Eventually she opted for a high ponytail with some whisps to frame her face. If it wasn't appropriate then she could always shake it out.

Adjusting her casual cream dress, Kathryn exited the turbo lift doors just before eight. Passing Holodeck one she looked in as Harry Kim was exiting. 'Captain', said Harry taking in her appearance. 'Are you heading for a drink, Captain' he asked.

'No, Mr. Kim, I am meeting Commander Chakotay here in few minutes. He would like me to review his new Holodeck Program' she replied.

'Well have a good evening.' He replied, as he walked away. _I had better put a few replicator rations on this evening.'_ He thought to himself as he grinned. _'Well good luck to the old dog; he's chased the Captain long enough.'_

Kathryn entered the Holodeck and immediately found herself in an old fashioned green tent. Hanging to one side was a pair of green shorts and a lighter green tank top and covering shirt. _'What the hell!'_ She thought. Luckily Chakotay had left her a mirror and if she was honest to herself she wasn't looking too bad. For forty plus, Kathryn had a body that many women would envy, she was petite, but completely in proportion with thin hips and enough of a chest to draw attention, but not so much that she could get a job in any bar on Risa.

Kathryn began to let her mind wander to what Chakotay would think of her body in this outfit. She was startled from her reverie, as Chakotay's voice called from the other side of the tent wall.

'If you don't hurry up, Kathryn there won't be enough time for the boat ride.' laughed Chakotay.

'Boat Ride'! Kathryn laughed as she exited the tent. Laughter died on her lips as she looked around at the scene before her. She was standing on the largest expanse of red sand, and not ten meters away was a 20th century automobile. 'Where is this? And what is that?' She asked, regaining her composure.

'It's a Jeep' said Chakotay, looking at her puzzled face. It's going to take us on a nature adventure 21st Century Style.

'Where the hell did you get the idea for this program?' Kathryn giggled as she let him help her into the jeep.

'As a child, my father ensured that we had a healthy respect for nature and as such he educated my sister and I on the importance of looking after our animal friends. I thought it might be nice to see some now extinct animals in their natural habitat.' Chakotay looked hesitant as he looked over, beginning to feel unsure of himself. He had thought Kathryn would be interested in this program. The last thing he needed was to be boring her, which would surely end his chances here, right now.

Kathryn's face broke into a smile, 'How many animals did you program?' she asked her eyes lighting up.

Chakotay breathed a sigh of relief and responded. The computer database was able to provide me with a full bank of all mammals, fish, insects and birds that would be found on the African Savannah…, so I chose the 15 most common mammals to begin with, and then a selection of insects and birds. I decided against the snakes at this point in time.' He added with a wink. 'I have also programmed the carnivores to stay ten meters from the Jeep so we can view them, without becoming lunch.'

'So when do we begin?' Kathryn laughed, excitedly.

Chakotay somewhat relieved, started the engine and began to drive along the dirt track set out in the sand. Kathryn marveled at him, as he concentrated on their path along the road. She had no idea that he was this interested in holo programming. It was definitely a pastime she thought was mainly Tom Paris's.

'Penny for your thoughts' Chakotay asked, after Kathryn had been silent for a minute or two.

Staring ahead, she said 'I was just thinking how much there still is to know about you, Chakotay. I never knew you liked Holodeck programming. I knew you loved nature, but I thought it might have only gone as far as your spirit guides. I guess I wonder what else there is to learn about you.' She added with a wistful smile.

'Well if you hang around long enough then you'll find out.' He added, mischievously.

Kathryn turned to look at him fully, as he sat beside her, wondering if there was more to his words than friendly banter. Since New Earth things had been a little strained between them. Kathryn knew she had made a mistake by shielding herself from him once they were back on board Voyager, a wrong she would give almost anything to right.

'Look!' said Chakotay. Suddenly in the distance Kathryn could see a grey mass appearing. As they got closer she could see that it wasn't grey, it was a Zebra.

'Chakotay, that's magnificent,' she said.

'It's called a Grant's Zebra; by 2056 these mammals were extinct in the wild, eventually after the third world war they fell into complete extinction. They are beautiful aren't they; would you like to get a little closer?'

'Can we?' asked Kathryn spellbound.

The quiet majesty of the animal captivated Kathryn and she jumped in surprise as Chakotay handed her a handful of grass. 'This is what they eat. I took the liberty of making the animals a little less skittish so we could get a bit closer than nature intended.

'Does he remind you of anyone?' asked Chakotay.

Kathryn looked hard at the animal; 'I thought there were a few similarities between our friend here and Harry.' Continued Chakotay, 'Strong but timid, and Grey's are fiercely protective of their group.'

'Yes! Well Harry what do you think of your new home?' asked Kathryn as she fed the Holographic Animal. Slowly stroking Harry's nose as he nudged her hand for more food. She began to see the nuances in Chakotay's program. The heat and the smells and sounds were so real. So real to her in fact, that for five minutes she had forgotten she was aboard Voyager trapped light years from home. The weight in her heart had been lifted, she smiled at Chakotay. 'Thank you,' she said, her eyes wet with moisture, 'For this little piece of home.'

Chakotay did the bravest thing he could in that moment; he took her hand and gently stroked his thumb over her own.

Unfortunately for Chakotay, at that very moment the spell was broken by the most horrendous noise Kathryn had ever heard. Pulling her hand from his to cover her ears, Kathryn turned to see what had made the ghastly sound. Strolling towards them was the most gorgeous African Elephant. The elephants' ears flapped in the almost nonexistent breeze, giving them the appearance of angel wings with the sun behind them.

'Oh Chakotay, she's magnificent, gasped Kathryn, getting over her shock and looking at the massive animal. Staring into her eyes Kathryn was immediately shocked by the depth of emotion she saw there. 'My goodness you can see her intelligence. It is a she isn't it?'

Chakotay laughed, 'Yes, She is a she.' Leaning over to stroke the wonderful animal's forehead he said. 'She reminds me of you. She is a leader of her tribe, intelligent, and focused on leading her family home.'

Kathryn smiled at his words and the emotion behind them. 'We are a family aren't we? Sometimes I feel more like a mother hen than a Captain.'

'Trust me Kathryn; the kids appreciate the mother hen and their Captain, no matter what hat you have on at the time' Said Chakotay, taking her hand again. 'I brought a picnic. Come let's sit down and eat before the wine gets warm.'

Kathryn lay on the soft blanket Chakotay had set out, her stomach full of Bread, Cheese, Fruit and Wine. Chakotay lay beside her and they watched as the terran stars began to wink into existence in the deepening sky above them. She tried to imagine the last time she had felt so relaxed. It was disturbing to realize it had been on New Earth, it was being with Chakotay that made her relax, Kathryn knew she was safe. The instinct to bolt came over her again in a wave and she sat up with a hitch to her breath. 'We had better be getting back Commander, isn't our time up?' she asked, not meeting his eyes.

Chakotay had heard the catch in her breath, as she suddenly began to rise from the blanket. 'We have time' he said, gently taking her hand and pulling her back to the blanket. 'Relax Kathryn, you deserve some quiet time.' Not releasing her hand, Chakotay lay back on the blanket and once again let his thumb rub against the back of her hand.

Kathryn had no idea what to do; Chakotay's hand in hers was causing her blood pressure to rise exponentially. She knew she had feelings for her First Officer, and after New Earth she knew he had feelings for her. It was another thing for either of them to be displaying them so openly. Kathryn tried as hard as she could to reaffirm all her reasons why this was a bad idea in her head and she just couldn't make them stick. Tired of fighting her feelings Kathryn decided to plunge into the deep end and ever so slowly she began to run her thumb along the back of Chakotay's hand.

At first he thought it was a mistake, she hadn't intended to do it. Then he felt it again, each feather light stroke growing stronger as she conquered her fears. Chakotay's breath caught in his throat and he turned to look at her profile.

Kathryn knew he was watching her and slowly turned her neck to look into his eyes, she knew the love she would see there, it had been staring back at her almost every day since they first laid eyes on one another across the stars next to the Caretakers array. Kathryn slowly brought her other hand across to cup Chakotay's jaw, he leaned into it his lips brushing her palm tentatively.

Chakotay rolled onto his side and brought his right arm across Kathryn's waist, pulling her gently into his embrace. Her hand guided his lips to her own. The kiss was almost ghostly in its touch, both participants knowing the exact value of this moment. As they gently broke apart they looked into one another's eyes. Chakotay was not expecting Kathryn to choose that exact moment to scream in fright, backing away from Chakotay like a frightened gazelle. Chakotay turned and began to belly laugh, 'Kathryn, meet Tom.' He said through guffaws.

'Chakotay, what the hell is that?' said Kathryn, getting to her feet.

'As I said Kathryn, meet Tom' He is a Rothschild Giraffe. 'Come, get closer', said Chakotay, as he extended his arm and hand to his friend.

Kathryn moved slowly towards the pair, but skirted back as 'Tom' dropped his head and began to root in the remains of their picnic basket. 'He's a fan of apples and carrots. I think he is after the remains of our picnic' said Chakotay.

'Tom chose that moment to remove and swallow up in one, a lovely green apple, plucking it from the basket with his massive tongue.

'Well with a tongue like that I bet he makes all the girls happy', said Kathryn. As she realized what she had said Kathryn's hands flew to her mouth as Chakotay began to guffaw once again.

Still laughing, Chakotay pulled Kathryn towards him and he knew this was the time, it was now or never. Slowly he moved in to drop a light kiss on Kathryn's lips. When she didn't pull away he grew bolder and gently pushed his tongue against her lips.

Kathryn parted her lips, gently taking Chakotay's tongue into her mouth. Slowly they kissed until they needed air, and they broke the kiss gently. 'Well, she said mischievously. I guess Tom isn't the only one who knows how to work his tongue.

'I'll show you,' said Chakotay with a growl, as he backed Kathryn into the tree.

He proceeded to show her exactly what he could do, as the sun set over The Serengeti.

EPILOGUE

Chakotay didn't care who saw him as he crossed Starfleet headquarters. His destination wasn't known to anyone, but they all wondered who would be the recipient of the gift he carried.

The Chime to her door was an annoyance that Kathryn did not need right now. The Enterprise had just been half destroyed by Shinzon. Resulting in a ridiculous De-briefing over whether Picard had done the right thing. On top of that she had to find a new Chief Medical Officer for the flagship and organize an official memorial service for Commander Data.

'Come,' she exclaimed.

'What the hell, Chakotay,' she said, as her husband entered.

This is your anniversary present, my sweet Kathryn. Two Years ago today you agreed to become my wife. It's meant to de-stress you.' Chakotay indicated. 'My hands aren't up to Admiralty knots.' He winked

'It's a fish!' she interjected.

'It is widely known my dear, that fish are excellent tools for de-stressing, and anyway if a fish is good enough for Picard, why not Admiral Janeway.' He added, ignoring her exclamation. 'Plus this isn't any old fish,' he said. 'It's a giraffe fish.'

Kathryn came round her desk, taking the fish and placing it on her table. 'Well I doubt that a fish, giraffe fish or not, would be able to make me relax in just the right way, like my own giraffe here knows' she said naughtily, running her hands over her husband's chest.

'Chakotay grinned as he wrapped his arms around his wife, pulling her in for a kiss. 'He better not even try!'


End file.
